Shire agrees to business case to share services

THE Surf Coast Shire is continuing its support of a program in which councils across the Geelong region will share services and equipment, which could eventually save the shire about $250,000 every year.

At their meeting last month, councillors agreed to support the business case being submitted to the state government’s Rural Councils Transformation Program.

The five councils within the G21 region (Colac Otway, Geelong, Golden Plains, Queenscliff, and Surf Coast) must all agree to implement the business case.

The regional services collaboration between the five councils will cost the state government, if it approves the business case, nearly $4.8 million to implement between now and 2023-24.

According to the business case, the project will see the councils “share expertise and insight” in strategic asset management, strategic procurement and contract management, and capital program and project management.

The project will also establish a framework for sharing the resourcing of key staff positions (such as building services, environmental health, or land use planning) that are presently reliant on specific people and thus creating a risk of service disruption if those people are unavailable.

The motion was passed unanimously.

“This is the future of councils – to ensure that in the future we’re able to manage our financial capacities and working in regards to an alliance of councils to ensure asset management, infrastructure management and procurement,” Cr Brian McKiterick said

“With five councils, you have a larger ability to obtain cheaper product and to work on projects at cheaper rates.”